Human immunoglobulins are glycoproteins composed of two disulfide-bonded heavy (H) chain subunits, each of which is linked by interchain disulfide bonds to a light (L) chain forming a tetramolecular complex. There are five classes of immunoglobulins, designated IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE, which are defined by differences in the constant region of H chains. L chains are divided into kappa or &lamBDa, classifications based on structural antigenic differences. All classes of immunoglobulins have been found on the cell surface of B lymphocytes where they function as antigen receptors to elicit antigen-dependent proliferation and secretion of antigen specific soluble circulating antibodies.
